Railway-rail bed



(No Model.)

G. M. GULP.

' RAILWAY RAIL BED.

ATTORNEY.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES M. GULF, OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA.

RAlLWAY-RAI L BED.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 431,253, dated July 1, 1890.

Application filed November 30, 1889. Serial No. 832,077. (No model.)

To 60% whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES M. CULP, a citi- Zen of the United States, residing at South Bend, in the county of St. Joseph and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway-Rail Beds; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinventio'n, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. A

My invention relates to the construction of railway-rail beds; and my object is to produce a structure which willeifectually prevent creeping or spreading of the rails and at the same time admit of free expansion and contraction thereof.

IVith this end in view my invention consists in the peculiar features and combinations of parts more fully described hereinafter, and pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 isa plan view of my complete structu re, and Fig. 2 a side elevation.

The reference-letterA indicates the main or anchor sleeper, which is made much heavier and larger than the ordinary ties, and is situated intermediate of the opposite ends of the rail. The preferred position of the anchor sleeper or tie is midwaybetween the ends of the rails. At this point each rail 13 is provided with notches or suitable apertures b on each side, and through these notches spikes Z) are driven into the sleeper A. The rail is thus securely anchored at its central portion, and any movement of the same in alongitudinal or lateral direction is prevented. The ties O are placed on either side of the sleeper A in the usual manner, and the rails are spiked thereto in the ordinary way. On the outside of the track the metallic stringers D are situated. These stringers are securely fastened to the anchor-sleeper A at their center by means of spikes or bolts (1; and are secured in like man- 'ner to one or more ties on either side of the main sleeper. It will thus be apparent that while the rails are securely anchored .at the middle and prevented from spreading orcreeping at the same time free expansion and contraction is allowed between the center and the joints.

The stringers serve to keep the anchor-tie firmly in position and to generally strengthen and brace the whole structure. These stringers are preferably made of metal; but it is evident that they may be made of any other suitable material, and it is also evident that many other slight changes which might suggest themselves to a skilled mechanic could be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention. Hence I do not limit myself to the precise construction herein shown. v

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination of an anchor-sleeper, the rails secured thereto from lengthwise movement, ties on either side of said sleeper, and a stringer secured to said sleeper and said ties, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination of an anchor-sleeper at the middle of a rail-section, the rails provided with notches at this point on both sides, fastening devices engaging these notches and said sleeper, ties on either side of the anchorsleeper, and stringers secured to said sleeper and said ties, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I a'ihx my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES M. CULP.

Witnesses:

GEO. W. LoUeHMAN, O. P. MYERS. 

